Weird Al Yankovic Accordion Jam

OV Valle [Roland US] — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:07:50 +0000

How I Use the V-Accordion

Weird Al Yankovic

There are few artists in the world who’ve had songs and albums at the top of the Billboard charts over a span of three decades. Among those elite few is perhaps the most famous parodist in pop music history, “Weird Al” Yankovic. Since the beginning of MTV in the ‘80s, Al has been there with his hilarious and spot-on parodies of popular songs. Those songs along with a polka-laden library of original songs have gained him legions of die-hard fans around the world. An accordion player first and foremost, Al uses Roland’s FR-7 V-Accordion.

Weird Al’s Take on Mics…

According to Weird Al, there are tons of options on the FR-7 V-Accordion that regular accordions don’t have. His favorite is being able to record directly and digitally without having to use microphones, this speeds up the setup process in the studio and for live performance. He explained that the accordion is a hard instrument to mic, because if you put a microphone next to an accordion – especially the left hand – the bellows are always moving. So it’s kind of hard to get an even sound, because the mic is always going to be closer and then further away from the sound source. Internal microphones are also always a problem, because you still get the sound of the bellows. With a V-Accordion, all one needs to do is plug in or play through the on board speakers.

“V” For Versatility…

Imagine being able to program the bass buttons for one instrument say acoustic bass, and the chord buttons for another instrument say baritone tuba, and the keys for yet another instrument, you could be a one man band. Traditional and orchestral sounds combination scan be created and played back, compete with full bellows articulation. You can instantly switch between instruments because it doesn’t depend on moving parts for sound generation, the V-Accordion is always in tune, and both keyboards can be transposed to play across a wide range octaves.

FR-8x and FR-8xb V-Accordions

Behold the FR-8X V-Accordion…

We haven’t told Weird Al, but we introduced our new flagship accordion, the FR-8X last month during the Frankfurt Musikmesse. This V-Accordion can do anything the FR-7 could do and more. Some of the most notable features are:

Newly developed Dynamic Bellows Behavior technology which, emulates the true bellows response of an acoustic accordion in every register
On board battery charging
180 orchestra, percussion, and Virtual Tone Wheel organ sounds
A new interface with a large, easy-to-read color display with programmable buttons
Built in looper for backing accompaniment
A multi-effects engine
The ability to record, playback and connect to a computer via USB

What are your thoughts on the new FR-8x? What is your favorite Weird Al parody? Drop us a comment!

Related links and articles:

New Products: FR-8x and FR-8xb V-Accordions

Jim Bybee [Roland US] — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:55:18 +0000

FR-8x & FR-8xb Debut at Musikmesse 2013

Roland FR-8x and FR-8xb V-Accordions

Packed with features requested by the world’s top accordionists, the new flagship FR-8x (piano-type) and FR-8xb (button-type) V-Accordions take the digital accordion to an all-new dimension. With extremely natural playability thanks to newly developed Dynamic Bellows Behavior technology, more convenient battery charging, an expanded sound set, four multi-effects engines, an onboard looper, and much more, the FR-8x and FR-8xb bring players the most powerful V-Accordion experience yet.

Here’s a quick rundown of just a few of the great new features in the FR-8x and FR-8xb:

True acoustic accordion feel—Roland’s new Dynamic Bellows Behavior varies the resistance of the bellows depending on the register and number of notes played, delivering the familiar and comfortable playing feel of an acoustic accordion.
Simple battery charging—The onboard battery can now be charged easily with the included AC adapter, with no playing interruption during the charging process.
A wide range of new sounds and effects—In addition to accordions from around the world, the FR-8x and FR-8xb give you instant access to a ton of versatile sounds, including organs, strings, brass, synths, acoustic and electric guitars, and even drums! On top of that, four powerful multi-effects engines provide a huge selection of studio-quality sound sweetening options, with independent processing for Accordion, Orchestra 1, Orchestra 2, and Orchestra Chord sections.
All-new user interface—A large, recessed color display, logical panel layout, and three programmable chin switches make operation simple and intuitive.
Built-in looper—This much-requested feature allows you to layer the many different onboard sounds to create instant accompaniment for backing and improvisation.
New button-type keyboard in the FR-8xb—The redesigned button-type keyboard provides improved response, an authentic look, and lower noise.

And that’s not all—this just touches on what these powerful new flagship instruments can do! To explore these new V-Accordions in full detail, visit RolandConnect.com.